Flooring apparatus for reducing impact energy during a fall

Abstract

An apparatus including an impact surface and a plurality of spaced apart stiffening columns extending from an underside of the flooring plate. The columns remain substantially rigid up to a predetermined critical pressure and then buckle as the pressure increases. The columns are at least partially surrounded by a resilient underlayment. Deflection stops may extend from the flooring plate to prevent over-buckling and/or permanent deformation of the stiffening columns. In some examples, the deflections stops may assist the floor in providing a substantially rigid surface at very high pressures.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 an impact surface; 
 a plurality of spaced apart incompressible stiffening columns extending between one side of the impact surface and a support surface, and supporting the impact surface a distance above the support surface, 
 wherein when the apparatus is subjected to a compressive pressure between the impact surface and the support surface less than a critical pressure defined as the pressure at which the stiffening columns will buckle, the stiffening columns remain incompressible so as to substantially prevent movement of the impact surface towards the support surface, and when the apparatus is subjected to a compressive pressure between the impact surface and the support surface greater than the critical pressure, at least one of the stiffening columns deform by buckling, thereby allowing deflection of the impact surface towards the support surface, changing the distance between the flooring plate and the support surface; 
 a resilient underlayment at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of spaced apart stiffening columns and substantially filling a space between the plurality of stiffening columns, the resilient underlayment coupled to the stiffening columns at at least one location to influence the post-buckling deformation of the stiffening column, and to substantially prevent permanent deformation of the stiffening column. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an overlayment at least partially covering the impact surface. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the overlayment is bonded to the impact surface. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the overlayment is rigidly bonded to the impact surface. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein an exposed surface of at least one of the impact surface and the overlayment includes at least one of a wear or slip resistant material. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the overlayment comprises at least one of a cork, bamboo, yew, wisteria, a woven wood textile material, or a composite thereof. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an exposed surface of the impact surface includes at least one of a wear or slip resistant material. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface includes a channel. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has a noise reduction coefficient of up to 1.0. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has an R-value of approximately 5 to 50. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the stiffening columns extends from the impact surface an offset angle from perpendicular. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the offset angle is approximately from one to ten degrees. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of spaced apart substantially incompressible deflection stop columns, extending from the underside of the flooring plate toward the support surface,
 wherein when the apparatus is subjected to a compressive pressure less than the critical pressure, the stop columns do not contact the support surface, and when the floor is subjected to a compressive pressure greater than the critical pressure the stop columns contact the support surface to substantially prevent the flooring plate from further movement toward the support surface. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the deformation by buckling further comprises the stiffening column sliding against the support surface. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the deformation by buckling further comprises the stiffening column bending. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a flooring system. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the impact surface includes a pattern. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the pattern is formed by at least one of laser, dye sublimation, or other print method. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising:
 an impact surface; 
 a plurality of spaced apart incompressible stiffening columns extending between one side of the impact surface and a support surface, and supporting the impact surface a distance above the support surface, 
 wherein when the apparatus is subjected to a compressive pressure between the impact surface and the support surface less than a critical pressure defined as the pressure at which the stiffening columns will buckle, the stiffening columns remain incompressible so as to substantially prevent movement of the impact surface towards the support surface, and when the apparatus is subjected to a compressive pressure between the impact surface and the support surface greater than the critical pressure, at least one of the stiffening columns deform by buckling, thereby allowing deflection of the impact surface towards the support surface, changing the distance between the flooring plate and the support surface; 
 a resilient underlayment at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of spaced apart stiffening columns and substantially filling a space between the plurality of stiffening columns, the resilient underlayment coupled to the stiffening columns at at least one location to influence the post-buckling deformation of the stiffening column, and to substantially prevent permanent deformation of the stiffening column, 
 wherein at least one of the stiffening columns extends from the impact surface an offset angle from perpendicular, and 
 wherein the deformation by buckling is dynamic buckling.